Cigarette kickout



Sept. 12, 1944. c, ARELT 2,357,801

CIGARETTE KICK-OUT Filed July 1e, 1941 sheets-sheet 1 aww Sept.v 12,1944. c. ARELT n CIGARETTE KICK-OUT Filed July 16, 1941 4 Shee'cs-SheeiI2 n L AM n... sT N EN R LF. O RV ...1. mm A C m 8V y m 12. 1. ..4 OM..JMG u J 4 am @f4 1T,- f r a IIL 1 Sept, l2,A 1944. c. 'ARELT CIGARETTEKICK-OUT Filed July 16, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIG. 4

Sept. 12, 1944. C ARELT CIGARETTE KICK-OUT Filed July 16 4 Sheets-Sheet4 INVENTOR CV-A'QLED ARE'LT BY NWN re MNN www

NNN RNW ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 12,1944

CIGARETTE xxcxou'r Charles Arelt, Richmond Hill, N. Y., assigner toAmerican Machine & Foundry Company, a corporation oi' New JerseyApplication July 16, 1941, Serial No. 402,651

4 Claims.

This invention relates to the manufacture of cigarettes, moreparticularly to continuous rod cigarette machines. One of the mainobjects is the rejection or segregation of the cigarettes which do notconform to the desired standard.

Aifurther object is to associate in a cigarette machine with suitableapparatus for detecting portions of the cigarette rod varying frompredetermined standard, mechanism controlled from said apparatus forejecting or segregating the cigarettes severed from the portions of thecigarette rod which do not conform to a predetermined standard.

A suitable detecting apparatus for this purpose is shown in theco-pending application of U. A. Whitaker, 'Serial No. 386,487, filedApril 2, 1941. The construction of the cigarette ejecting mechanismshown in Figs. 1-5 of said application constitutes a part of myinvention and was illustrated in said application merely as a suitableembodiment of a cigarette ejecting apparatus controlled from thedetecting apparatus shown in Fig. 6 thereof. In Fig. 6 of the presentapplication there is shown a detecting apparatus corresponding to thatshown in Fig. 6 of said application, but said detector forms no part ofthe present invention.

The condition of the cigarette rod may be determined by electrostaticapparatus comprising spaced pick-up plates sufficiently spaced to admita cigarette rod therebetween and connected to a high frequency electriccircuit which will be affected by the characteristics of the section of4the cigarette rod between plates so as to vary the current in thecircuit. In accordance with the invention, variations in this currentare utilized to measure variations from normal in the density of therod. The circuit may be adjusted by inserting a cigarette conforming toa predetermined standard between the pick-up plates and adjusting thecurrent to respond to variations in the cagarette rod from saidstandard. It is believed that variations in this circuit result mainlyfrom variationsin the moisture content of the tobacco in the rod. Thusif a cigarette rod having a predetermined moisture content is advancedpast the plates, underlled or overfilled portions thereof will containgreater or less moisture and correspondingly vary the characteristics ofthe circuit and the current flowing therein.

Bythis means it is possible to detect underlled or overfllled spotswhich constitute a minor fraction of a cigarette length. Moreover nomechanical feelers are used, whose inertia must be overcome 'beforediscrepancies in the cigarette rod will be detected. It may be notedthat meehanical feelers, which have been used heretofore. do not give atrue determination of the condition of the cigarette, inasmuch as theytend to modify or compress the cigarette'being tested, and also due tothe relatively great linear speed of the rod and this inertia of thefeelers they are not sensitive to short low or high spots a fraction ofa cigarette length long but tend to yride over such spots withoutresponding to them.

Since the moisture content of the tobacco constitutes an index of thedensity of the tobacco, as it is proportional to the weight of a givenmass of tobacco of uniform moisture content, variations in thedensity-of the cigarette rod may be detected and utilized to effect asegregation of defective cigarettes. It is noted that the moisturecontent of well prepared and mixed tobacco is ordinarily quite uniformthroughout a given mass at a given time, due it is believed, in part, tothe fact that tobacco is very hygroscopic and in the mass relatively dryparts tend to absorb moisture and damp parts to give up moisture untilthe moisture content of adjoining portions is substantially uniform.

With these and other objects not specifically mentioned in view theinvention consists in certain constructions and features hereinafterfully described and then specifically set forth in the claims hereuntoappended.

In the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specification andin which like characters of reference indicate the same or like parts:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a continuous rod cigarette machineequipped with my cigarette ejecting mechanism;

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the cigarette ejecting mechanism and theoperating and timing device for the same;

Fig. 3 is a partial plan view taken on line 3-3 of the timing mechanismshown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a sectional plan view of the timing and ejecting operatingmechanisms;

Fig. 5fis a partial plan view partly in section of the timing device inan enlarged scale; and

Fig. 6 is a wiring1 diagram showing the circuit for the detector controlunit of the cigarette .A

ejecting mechanism.

'I'he particular embodiment of the cigarette ejecting mechanism shown inFigs. 1-5 consists of a pair of ejector rods I5 mounted on a horizontalshaft IB (Figs. 1 and 2) supported by an arm Il loosely mounted on ashaft I8 supported in a bearing bracket I9, fastened to the bed 21 ofthe cigarette machine. On shaft I6 is fastened a gear 20 which iscontinuously driven from a gear 2| loosely mounted on shaft I8. To gear2| is attached a sprocket 22 which is driven by achain 23 from asprocket 24 mounted on a horizontal shaft 25 supported by a bearingbracket 26 attached to the lower portion of the bed 21.

To shaft 25 is mounted a bevel gear 28 meshing with another bevel gear29 fastened to a shaft 30 which may be driven through a pair ofintermeshing bevel gears 3|, mounted on shaft 30 and shaft 32respectively, shaft 32 being driven through a pair of meshing spiralgears 33 (Fig. 1), one gear 33 being mounted on shaft 32 and the otheron the main drive shaft 34 of the cigarette machine. On shaft 25 is alsomounted agear 35 driving a gear 36 loosely mounted on a stud 31 held bythe bed 21. To the hub of said gear 36 is fastened a timing disk 38,which is also loosely mounted on the stud 31. Said disk is equipped witha number of circumferentially spaced bosses ,39 in each of which isslidably mounted a timing plunger 40. On one end of each plunger 40 isprovided a socket 4| into which is fitted one end of a compressionspring 42, while the other end of said spring is seated in acorresponding indentation 43a of the web portion 43 of gear 36. Theplungers 40 are normally held in a retracted position adjacent the gear36 by lock fingers 44, each of which is Ipivoted on its correspondingboss 39 and provided with a tension spring 45. Normally the fingers 44engage plungers 40 behind the socket portions 4| of their correspondingplungers, so that the shank portions of the plungers protrude slightlyfrom their corresponding bosses 39.

The continuous cigarette rod R emerging from the cigarette rod former U,wherein adhesive is applied by paster V to the overlap edge of thecigarette paper and folded upon the underlap edge and then sealed bysealer S (Fig. 1) passes through a detector box D into the cut-ofi'mechanism C, which may be of construction similar to that shown inPatent No. 1,075,274, wherein a knife K cuts off individual cigarettes Lwhich are delivered and pushed through a guide channel 46 on to acontinuuosly driven collector belt 41. The guide channel 46 is held by abracket 48 (Fig. 2) adjustably attached to a lug 49 fastened to the bed21 of the cigarette machine. Belt 41 is driven from the main drive ofthe machine in a conventional manner (not shown). Within the detectorbox D are supported a pair of condenser plates 20| which may beconnected by wires W to an electrostatic detector control unit mountedin a box 200 conveniently held on top of the bed. A suitable controlcircuit is disclosed in the wiring diagram shown in Fig. 6, and will behereinafter described in detail. The rod R also passes through adetector Z consisting of condenser plates connected by Wires X to acontrol circuit (not shown) within box 300. The control circuit in box300 is similar to that disclosed in the above mentioned Whitakerapplication, and through a Reeves drive (not shown) regulates the speedat which the sprocket chain 358 drives the shaft of the tobacco feed F.

The operation of the timing mechanism of the detector unit in generalprinciple is as follows:

The cigarette rod R passes in between the two plates 20| of detector boxD, and if the density of the tobacco in said rod equals the density towhich the detector circuit is tuned and adjusted, no cigarettes will berejected by the ejector mechanism. But whenever either an under-filledor an over-filled section of the cigarette rod passes between the plates20|, an unbalanced condition of the detector circuit is created whichresults in the energization of the relay 225 whereby its armature 50 isattracted, causing a pin 5| on said armature to separate the contacts226 in the detector circuit. When the armature 50 is swung inwardlyduring its attraction to the magnet 225,

it is mechanically locked by a lug 53 (Fig. 4) and held there untilreset again. Lock lug 53 is mounted on a ilat spring member 54adjustably clamped to a vertical stud 55 held by an arm 56 adjustablyfastened on stud 31. On the outer endof arm 56 is supported the relay225 and the armature 50 which is pivoted thereon. Spring member 54 isarranged in a position to keep the lock lug 53in contact with the end ofarmature 50. The latter is also provided with a projection 51 having alug 58 which, when said armature is pulled inwardly, lies in the path ofthe protruding ends of lock fingers 44 as they move with the rotatingtiming disk 38. When the end of a lock finger 44 contacts said lug 58 itis tripped, thereby releasing its corresponding timing plunger 40. Thenits compression spring 42 snaps the socket portion 4| into the recess 59of the corresponding hub 39 and the protruding end of said plunger 40contacts and displaces the lock lug 53 on spring member 54, causing adisengagement of said lock lug 53 with armature 50 and thus with thehelp of a retractile spring 60 (Fig. 5) effecting the mechanicalresetting of the armature 50. In order to check the movement of thearmature 50the projecting end 51 of the latter is equipped with abifurcated lug 6| (Fig. 5) which engages with an adjustable stop screw62 held by a supporting lug 63 on arm 56.

The protruding end of the released plunger 40 traveling with the timingdisk 38 in anticlockwise direction will come in contact with a controlarm 64 and continuing to travel will raise said control arm in an upwarddirection. Control arm 64 is pivoted to a stud 65 held by a bracket 66,mounted on one end ofbed 21. Said control arm is also provided with ahook-shaped lock lug 61 normally held in engagement with a lock pin 68by means of a tension spring 69 (Figs. 2 and 4). Lock pin 68 is held byan arm 10 to which is secured another arm 1| forming a bellcrank 12pivoted on a stud 13 held by a suitable lugY of bearing bracket 26. Thefree end of arm 1| carries a contact plate 14 (Figs. 2 and 4) which,when bell-crank lever 12 is locked by means of arm 64, hangs with butlittle clearance directly above a crank pin 15 of a crank shaft 16supported by a bearing lug 11 of bracket 26. Crank shaft 16 iscontinuously rotated by means of a gear 18 fastened thereon and meshingwith gear 35 on shaft 25. To arm 1| is pivoted one end of a connectingrod 19. The other end of the same is pivoted to the arm I1 whichsupports the rotating ejector rods I5 described heretofore. A tensionspring (Fig. 2) anchored to arm |1 and bracket I9 urges arm I1, as wellas arm 1|, downward; but as long as lug 61 of arm 64 remains inengagement with lock pin 68, this movement is checked. When theprojecting end of one of the released plungers 40 lifts arm 64 andthereby disengages lug 61 from lock pin 68, the plate 14 of arm 1| isbrought in contact with crank pin 15 and follows the rotating crank pin,thus also imparting oscillating motion to arm I1 with the result thatthe rotating ejector rods are lowered into position to sweep off thecigarettes L delivered at that moment from the guide channel 46 on tothe collector plate 41. The cigarette to be ejected is caught by theejector rods I in mid air and thrown into an ejector chute formed by apair of guide plates 8| and 82 (Figs. 1 and 2) which are both adjustablyattached to the bearing bracket I9.

The cigarette cut-oil mechanism C- (Fig. 1)

which is driven through shaft 83 and a pair of spiral gears 84 from thema-in shaft 34, is timed with respect to the ejecting and timingmechanisms in such a manner as to deliver in the path of the ejectorrods the particular cigarettes which -caused disturbance of thebalanceof the elec- I thereby arrests arm 1| in a position at whichplate 14 will clear the continuously rotating crank pin 15, to maintainthe rotating ejector rods I5 out of the path of the stream of oigaretteswhich are delivered to the collector belt 41. In order to reset anyreleased plungers before completion of their cycle, the projecting endsof the same after leaving arm 64 contact an angularly mounted resettingplate 85 (Figs. 2 and 3) and are gradually pushed back until thecorrespondiner lock nger 44 snaps behind thesocket portion 4I of theplunger, keeping said plunger retracted until said finger is trippedagain.

In order to prevent damage to the ejector mechanisms in case thecigarette machine is turned backward by hand, the shaft 30 connectingthe ejector mechanism with the main drive, is equipped with a one-wayclutch 90 (Fig. 4) in which a spring-pressed pin 9| engages with aspiral jaw collar 92 allowing shaft 30 to be driven one way only. Onesection 30a of shaft 30 is fastened-to clutch 90 while the other section30h carries the spiral jaw collar 92.

.Referring to Fig. 6, there is illustrated an electrostatic detectorcontrol circuit in which the capacity between the detector plates 20| is-balanced against the capacity of a variable (air) condenser 202. Thedetector circuit may be of the so-oalled universal, or A. C.-D. C. type,in which the power from the line passes through a half-wave rectifiertube 203 and a filter consisting of choke coil 204 and condensers 205.The cathode heaters H of the various tubes are connected in seriesacross the line in the usual manner (not shown), but it will beunderstood that the cathodes may be directly heated if desired.

The tuned plate coil 206 of the high-frequency oscillator tube 201 iscenter tapped, with the tap connected to the positive output terminal ofthe iilter. Tuned grid-coil 208 is inductively coupled to the platecoil, and also capacitatively through a small condenser 209. Resistance2|0 and condenser 2|I are the usual grid leak and condenser for limitingthe oscillation of tube 201 to the straight portion of its plate-currentcurve. When the tube 201 oscillates, equal high frequency currents, 180degrees out of phase, are generated on the two ends of coil 206. y

The tuned coil 2|2 is connected in the grid circiut of the highfrequency amplifier tube 2|3, which is of the pentode type. Coil 2|2 is4tuned to the same frequency as the oscillator and is coupled to 'bothsides of coil 206, through condenser 202 and detector plates 20|.Condensers 2I4 are inserted in the leads to plates 20| to insulate theplates from line or D. C. power. If the capacity of condenser 202, andthe capacitance between plates 20| is balanced, no voltage -will beimpressed on coil 2 I2.

A tuned high frequency transformer 2|5 couples the plate circuit ofamplifier tube 2|3 to the grid circuits of indicator tube 2|6 and outputtube 2|1, through condensers 224. Indicator 2|5 is of the type in whicha triode is combined with an electron-ray indicator. It is biased tozero shadow angle by resistor 2|8 inv series with the cathode. Resistor235 is the grid-leak. lIfhe anode plate resistor 2 I 9 is by-passed by acondenser 220. Thus the triode acts as a biased detector, and the wholetube 216 as a zero-indicator.

Output tube 2|1 is a gas-filled, grid-controlled rectifier. By means ofbattery 22| and resistors 222 and 223, the grid is normally maintainedat a sufficiently negative bias, to prevent the flow of plate current.When the H. F. output of transformer 2|5, which is connected to the gridof tube 2|1 through condenser 224, exceeds a certain limit, platecurrent starts to flow, and,

. once started, the grid has no further control over it, and it can onlybe stopped by interruption of the plate current. For this purposethefrelay 225 shown in Fig. 5 is connected in series with the plate oftube 2|1, to -be energized and thereby attract the armature and open thenormally closed contact 226. Resistor 221, in multiple with magnet 225and contact 226 is of such high value that the current through it isinsuillcient tov maintain ionization of the gas in tube 2I1 aftercontact 226 opens. Push button 228 is for manual interruption of theplate current. Av thermal time delay unit 229 prevents the ilow of platecurrent in tube 2|1 till the cathode is at full emission temperature.

A variable rheostat 230 in series with a xed j resistor 23| and thecathode of amplifier tube 2|3 regulates the degree of amplification oftube 2|3.

The shield 235a around the oscillator coils 206 `and 206, the shield 236around grid coil 2|2, the

shield 231 around transformer 2|5 and the shields 238 around the leadstoplates 20| are connected to the negative side of the filter throughcondensers 232, which by-pass any H. F. currents, but reduce feed-backand interference from surges in the power line. Condenser 233 isconnected across the power line, and condenser 234 between the negativeside of the filter and ground, for the same purpose.

The operation of the circuit is as follows:

After all tuned circuits are aligned to the same frequency (500,000cycles/second, has been found to be suitable) condenser 202 is adjustedtill zero output is obtained from the amplifier 2|3, with a cigarette ofthe desired density between plates 20|. After that, whenever either anunderlled or an overflled spoton the cigarette rod passes between theplates, an unbalance is caused which results in a high frequency voltagebeing imposed onthe grid of tube 2|1, and of tube 2|6. If this H. F.voltage is of `sufficient amplitudefit will trip tube 2|1 and energizerelay 225. The

armature 50 of relay 225, on being attracted during energization of thelatter, opens contact 225 and thereby breaks the plate current of tube2|1, the armature 50 being mechanically locked in its upper position andheld there till reset mechanically by mechanism described above.

The spread between the upper and lowerV reject limits is determined bythe degree o! amplification, and by the amount of negative grid bias ontube 2H. 'I'he less the amplification and the greater the bias, thewider the spread becomes. By adjusting the circuit for a wide spread,and adjusting the balancing condenser 202 to zero output for a somewhathigher density than the described average, the unit can be made moresensitive for underfllled than overfllled spots, or the opposite way.

What is claimed is:

1. In a continuous rod cigarette machine having-a cutoff for severingthe cigarette rod into cigarette lengths, the combination with a pivotedarm, of a continuously rotating member mounted on said arm and adaptedto transversely push the cigarettes issuing from the cutoil', a deviceconnected to said arm and adapted to lower the same into positionwherein said member will intersect the path of the cigarettes issuingfrom the cutoff and push the same transversely from said path, andmechanism for preventing the operation of said device to permit thepassage of cigarettes issuing from said cutoff without displacement.

2. In a continuous rod cigarette machine having a cutoff for severingthe cigarette rod into cigarette lengths, the combination with a pivotedarm, of a continuously rotating member mounted on said arm and adaptedto engage and transversely displace the cigarettes issuing from thecutoff, a device connected to said arm and adapted to lower the sameinto position wherein said member will intersect the path of thecigarettes issuing from the cutoff and displace the same transverselyfrom said path, and mechanism for preventing the operation of saiddevice to permit the passage of cigarettes issuing from said cutoffwithout displacement, said mechanism including a detent adapted toengage said device and thereby prevent the lowering of said arm, andmeans for periodically releasing said detent to cause said device tolower said arm in properly timed relation to permit transversedisplacement of a cigarette issuing from the cutoff, by said member.

3. In a continuous rod cigarette machine having a cutoff for severing acigarette rod into cigarette lengths and means for detectingabnormalities in the cigarette rod prior to severance thereof by thecutoff, the combination with mechanism controlled IVby said detectormeans for displacing from the path of the cigarettes issuing from thecutoi the defective cigarettes resulting from the severance of theabnormal portions of the cigarette rod, said mechanism including amember 'movable across the path of the cigarettes in properly timedrelation to engage and push consecutive cigarettes transversely fromsaid path, of a device normally operating to prevent the movement ofsaid member across said path, and instrumentalities controlled from saiddetector means and set into operation by detection of abnormal cigaretterod portions for incapacitating said device when the defectivecigarettes severed from the abnormal rod portions arrive-at aposition'in the range of action of said member to permit the latter topush the defective cigarettes transversely from said path.

4. In a continuous rod cigarette machine having a cutoi for severing acigarette rod into cigarette lengths and means for detectingabnormalities in the cigarette rod prior to severance thereof by thecutoff, the combination with mechanism controlled by said means fordisplacing from the path of the cigarettes issuing from the cutoff thedefective cigarettes resulting from the severance of the abnormalportions of the cigarette rod, said mechanism including a rotary memberadapted to engage and push cigarettes transversely from said path whenmoved into a predetermined position adjacent said path, of devicescontrolled from said detector means and set into operation by detectionof abnormal cigarette rod portions for moving said member into saidpredetermined position for displacement of cigarettes from said pathwhen the cigarettes severed from the abnormal rod .portions arrive at aposition in the range of action of said member.

CHARLES ARELT.

